Top 10+ Delaware old-school dive bars where you can raise a glass & let your hair down
For some, the term "dive bar" carries a negative connotation, evoking shabbiness and sometimes even a seedy clientele.
But for us ― and many others ― dive bars are the small neighborhood pubs that are a connecting point for community; a no-frills spot where the unpretentious can gather for a few drinks that won't eat up your whole paycheck.
And while some of Delaware's best dives have come and gone over the years, including the 2023 closing of Wilmington's Jackson Inn, the state is still dotted with old-school, casual bars that seem frozen in time.
Here are 10 Delaware dives worth a visit ― come-as-you-are taverns where the good times still roll after all these years.
Red Lion Inn, Bear
Owned by the Marcin family for decades until local investors bought it this year, the Red Lion Inn is still the down-home bar it's always been. In fact, Jill Marcin, granddaughter of one of the bar's first owners, is still the owner. Under a drop ceiling and surrounded by wood paneling, regulars have downed beers and played pool here even back when it was called The Drum. An attached package store and small kitchen with burgers, wings, and more make it a one-stop shop. The pinball machines were taken out at the time of the sale, but Marcin hints they could be coming back.
Comegy's Pub, Wilmington
A beloved bar in a city filled with them, this family-owned pub counts generations of locals as regulars. You know you're going to have a good night when you're greeted by smiling bartender Candace Comegys, who passes your drink across the bar while some fellow customers are singing along to the jukebox and others are playing shuffleboard. And if you're really lucky at Comegy's Pub, they have a grill going on Conrad Street, making free cheesesteaks or other barbecue goodies, completing the feels-like-family vibe.
Brown's Wyoming Tavern, Wyoming
Another classic bar-and-package store combo, Brown's welcomes you with its classic outdoor sign featuring a jockey riding a horse on N. Railroad Avenue. The historic building has stood since the 1890s and is home to this family-owned and operated hangout. Beer comes in frozen mugs. Food comes on foil in plastic baskets. And you can kill time with games of pool or shuffleboard. Try their "Tipsy Sundae" made with Bailey's Irish Cream sauce.
Patron Ezio Torres plays pool at the Red Lion Inn in Bear on Nov. 1, 2025. The neighborhood all-American tavern and its adjacent Red Lion Liquor Store had been owned by the Mancin family for decades until recently.
Mulrooney's Tavern, Elsmere
Located just over the town line from Wilmington, Mulrooney's is hidden under the shadow of S. Union Street, elevated over the railroad tracks next to McDonald's. But if you find this Irish bar, you'll probably feel like you've discovered a pot of gold. For more than 80 years, it's been a go-to spot for a drink, a bite and live music. For St. Patrick's Day, the place is shoulder-to-shoulder with regulars and revelers looking for an Irish bar to celebrate the holiday.
Sweet Daddy's Bar & Grill, Wilmington
Located on Governor Printz Boulevard on the city's East Side, Sweet Daddy's is another neighborhood bar that keeps the entertainment coming, whether it's DJ nights, Philadelphia Eagles watch parties, "Grown & Sexy" nights, along karaoke and lip sync fun. Celebrating its eighth anniversary this month, it may not have the history of the others, but it's a favorite let's-have-fun gathering spot for cocktails around its U-shaped bar for many.
Kelly's Tavern, Port Penn
If you like your barroom with a super-sized side of seafood, Kelly's is for you. It's best known for its Wednesday shrimp night served on Styrofoam plates and off-the-boat steamed crabs. It’s the kind of place that when someone enters, folks around the bar stop and look who’s coming in. Sure, it can be intimidating, but no worries: the locals and staff will welcome you in. It's not a fancy place ― a blue-collar gathering spot with a mix of hunters, watermen, construction workers and more. The frosty pints from the freezer give you some of the coldest beers around.
Manager Jill Mancin stands outside the Red Lion Inn & Liquor Store in Bear on Nov. 1, 2025. The Mancin family owned Red Lion for decades before a recent change in ownership.
Bankshots, Glasgow
At one point, Bankshots was a powerhouse local chain of bars known for cheap drinks and billiards. But over the years, locations in spots like Wilmington and Stanton have closed and now there's only one left standing. It's on Pulaski Highway near the state line with Maryland. And it is there where you will find the familiar Bankshots formula to this day: cold drinks, plenty of pool, sports on TV and live music (mostly cover bands) from Thursday to Saturday.
Christiana Pub, Christiana
Tucked away in Peddler's Village off West Main Street, you have to be looking for Christiana Pub to find it. Compete with an attached package store, you'll find a neighborhood hangout complete with karaoke nights, open mic nights, music video bingo, dart tournaments, live bands and, of course, plenty of neon lights. There's a reason they have been open for nearly three decades: it's a comfortable barroom where a good time is always on the menu.
Bayview Tavern, Bowers Beach
Unless you've gone fishing out of Bowers Beach, you might not know the Bayview Tavern exists. Located in the parking lot by the fishing ramp, it's a fisherman’s bar with pictures from the past of former charter captains caught fish on the walls. It has an authentic waterfront fishing atmosphere with pool, live bands, karaoke and more at night. You'll almost feel like Quint from "Jaws" can walk in at any time.
The facade of the Red Lion Liquor Store is seen in Bear on Nov. 1, 2025. The liquor store and its adjacent Red Lion Inn had been owned by the Mancin family for decades until recently.
Bar XIII, Holly Oak
Bar XIII is more than just a neighborhood bar. It's also an alternative music club with live entertainment on a big stage most nights. It's got plenty of edge, whether it's "dirty sexy bingo" on Tuesdays or its popular Thursday Asylum 13 nights with DJs. There's a reason why it calls itself "Delaware's home for alternative nightlife." If you're tired of the same old, Bar XIII just might be what you're looking for with burlesque nights, bands, karaoke, comedy and more.
Have a story idea? Contact Ryan Cormier of Delaware Online/The News Journal at [email protected] or (302) 324-2863. Follow him on Facebook (@ryancormier) and X (@ryancormier).
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: 10 Delaware old-school dive bars where you can raise a glass & let your hair down
